In the Dark is What You Fear
by OpiumLust
Summary: Her heart races and she doesn't know why. She would do anything to make the feeling stop but it wont go away. Why is she so afraid? Whats hidden in the dark that is so terrifying? J.K. Rowling owns it all save my imagination. Plot is mine. Thats all.
1. Racing Hearts and Cigarettes

This is an unlikely story with two very unlikely people. Many stories like this one I have read as you may have as well. Let me show you a new side of the magic and Imagination.

She was never clumsy…ever. She mentally prayed no one saw her trip on the stairs. Hermione's books were sprawled across the hall along with papers, quills, and ink. She stood, brushing the dirt from her skirt and knees. Her uniform now dirty from the fall. Hermione didn't understand how she could trip over the stairs she had been traveling over for the past five and a half years now. What Hermione didn't know was that someone had indeed seen her. A someone who was laughing softly in the shadows.

Hermione looked around as she heard a noise quite unfamiliar to her. She drew her wand and gathered her belongings by magic. Once neatly together, Hermione put her bag on her shoulder and books under her arm. She hurried off in the original direction she had been going. Surprised by the racing of her heart she stopped in front of the fat lady and tried to take a deep breath. Ready to give the password as soon as she caught her breath. She finally opened her mouth to give the password but she was caught of guard by an emerging pair of bright green eyes and red flaming hair. She smiled at Harry and Ron lovingly and hugged them. Hermione felt her heart beat at a normal pace and was thankful.

"Where you been 'Mione?" asked Ron curiously.

"I…um had a clumsy moment." Hermione confessed as she felt the heat rise in her face. She was never clumsy.

"You, clumsy. No way! And to think we missed it mate!" Said Harry overdramatically.

"Oh shut it Harry!" Hermione said faking an angry voice.

"Come on, we gotta get going." Harry said as he kissed Hermione on the cheek.

Ron and Hermione fell into step alongside Harry. Since Sirius' death Hermione encouraged a more so called 'touchy feely' relationship with the boys. Since she was a young girl she had always been taught the healing of the human touch. She knew the kind of affect it had on the wounded and the hurting. It healed them, just to know the love from someone else. She started this to help Harry heal from Sirius' death. The boys were very reluctant at first but over time it became a second natured to them. It was more her to them and them to her than the two boys together. That was just a little too awkward for them, but they still held a brotherly way about it.

Hermione smiled to herself as she watched Ron and Harry excitedly go over play by play moves of yesterday's Quiddittch match against Ravenclaw. The trio was alone in the hallway when they reached their destination. Harry was the first to enter Professor Lupin's classroom. Hermione followed quickly with Ron bringing up the rear. They walked up the steps to his office and knocked. Hermione smiled when she heard a low voice say. "Enter." They walked thought the door to see a happy face upon their beloved professor.

"Well, well, well. Isn't it my favorite trio! And right on time!" Lupin said standing hugging them one at a time.

"Tea?" Lupin asked nicely.

"Yes, please." Hermione answered for all three of them.

Hermione was disappointed when their Saturday teat time with Remus was over. As they made their way back to the common room in the Gryffindor tower, Hermione saw mischief in Ron's eyes. She quickly looked to Harry and he mirrored Ron's mischief. Ron made a grab for her but she was too quick for him. Her mistake was that she ran right into Harry. He wrapped his strong arms around her and she enjoyed it for only a mere moment, for Ron had begun to tickle her. Harry held her tight and he was caught between enjoyment and laughter.

"Oh…please…guys….enough…..stop!" She yelled between her laughter. She couldn't stop laughing.

"NEVER!" the boys yelled in unison.

Jealous eyes watched them in the shadows.

Hermione elbowed Harry hard enough for him to let her go. She had her one chance to get away so she took it. She laughed as she was running. Harry and Ron took on after her laughing as well. Hermione got well ahead of them so she slowed down. Suddenly someone or something pulled her down a very dark hallway. Her eyes were closed and she smelled mint and cigarettes. She was let go almost immediately. She looked around and saw nothing.

"Who's there! Who are you!" Hermione shouted into the empty dark hallway.

Hermione's heart began to race as she ran away from the dark deserted hallway. She didn't know why it frightened her but it did. Hermione kept running. She wasn't watching where she was running and ran right into Ron. Before she fell Ron caught her against his body and wrapped his arms securely around her. Hermione looked up at him and tried to smile but she couldn't. She trembled in his arms.

"Hermione! What's wrong?" Ron asked nervously.

"I don't know." She answered weakly.

"You shaking…" Harry said softly, putting a hand on her back.

"Let's…lets just go." Hermione said hiding in Ron's chest and arms.

Her heart wouldn't stop racing and it was giving Hermione a migraine. Ron, being a perfect, cleared the common room of all the other students and placed Hermione on the soft couch. The fire was roaring sending the warmth across her body. Ron and Harry sat down on either side of Hermione and made her lay down. Hermione's head in Harry's lap and her leg's across Ron's. Harry softly caressed her hair, soothing her fear that was slowly diminishing. She was able to smile as she drifted into a deep sleep.

"Hermione! Wake Up!" Hermione head as she felt strong arms shaking her.

"What?" she said sitting up.

"You were having a nightmare." Harry said slowly, breathing heavy. A small trickle of sweat ran down his face.

"Are you alright Harry?" She asked feeling his forehead.

"No." Harry said leaning into her cool hand.

Harry was burning up, so Hermione made him go to the hospital wing to get checked out. Ron and Hermione sat on the ground outside of the hospital wing waiting for Harry. Ron knew Hermione was worried so he decided to cheer her up. Ron told her jokes until she was in fits of laughter. Just as Hermione caught her breath, the infamous Draco Malfoy walked up to them. He flashed his trademark smirk and surprisingly just kept walking until he heard Ron laugh with Hermione.

"Got a Problem Weasel!" Malfoy retorted turning around to face them.

"No I don't think I do ferret!" Ron said laughing again.

"Good." Malfoy said turning his gaze to a giggling Hermione.

"Finally found where you belong Mudblood. On the ground, in the dirt." Malfoy said with hate laced in his words.

"Shove off Malfoy!" Ron said standing up drawing his wand.

"Oh and I'd like to see you try and make me Weasel." Malfoy said laughing at Ron.

"Ron don't, he's not worth it." Hermione said standing next to Ron.

Malfoy just turned around and walked off. A strong smell of cigarettes was left behind. Hermione's memory kicked in when she smelled it. She didn't realize how familiar that smell was to her, or why it gave her the feeling of déja vu. Changing the subject immediately was Harry looking worse for wear coming out of the hospital wing with a few bottle of potion. Hermione sighed and immediately forgot about Malfoy. She smiled and took two bottles from Harry and handed one to Ron.

"You gonna be alright mate?" Ron asked caringly.

"Yeah, so long as I don't drown in all the potion Madame Pompfrey is making me drink." Harry said and chuckled at his own joke.

"Oh Harry." Hermione said laughing slightly.

As the three friends made their way back to the common room, Hermione realized that it was only a week until their Christmas break and tomorrow was their last Hogsmead visit before the break. She had to get their gifts tomorrow. Hermione smiled inwardly and decided that she was going to get them truly amazing. They made their way to the couches and talked aimlessly until sleep was overbearing on them. Hermione kissed Harry and Ron on the cheeks and stalked slowed up the stairs. She changed into her warm pajamas and snuggled deep in her warm blankets. She stared at the top of her canopy and the velvety redness of it.

'Why can't I sleep, I am ever so tired?' Hermione thought to herself.

Hermione drifted to sleep slowly. Her body was exhausted but her mind was racing and not grasping anything. Once fully asleep she began to dream. She batted the smoke away from her face and coughed slightly. She glared at the boy in front of her as he took another drag of his cigarette. Him blowing the smoke in her face again only to have her bat it away in protest. He smirked at her and once again brought the cigarette to his lips.

"Why do you smoke?" Hermione asked him.

"I don't." Draco said smirking and taking a drag from the cigarette in his lips.

"Liar. It a muggle thing. You hate muggles." Hermione said crossing her arms across her chest.

"No I don't." Draco said flicking the ashes off of the burning ember.

"What! Uggghh! I hate you." Hermione said turning around and trying to walk away, remembering she couldn't.

"Granger, I am fucking with you." Draco said and flicked the last of his cigarette over the edge of the balcony.

Hermione woke the next day refreshed and ready to spend money. She stepped into the shower and trying to remember her dream but couldn't. 'Oh well' She thought as she proceeded to cleanse herself. She dressed herself in muggle clothing; jeans, tee-shirt, and tennis shoes. She dried her hair with her wand and put on her thick winter jacket and met the boys in the common room. They smiled up at her as she descended the stairs. She returned their smiles with hers.

"Ready?" Ron asked looking at her and then to Harry.

"Ready." Hermione and Harry said in unison.


	2. Rings

I want to say thank you to those who reviewed my story. I very much appreciate it. Here we go.

Thank you, Gino Santangelo

Thank you, AngleCat HellFire

Hermione walked down the steps of the castle side by side with Ron and Harry. They each had their arms draped on her shoulders and her arms around their waists. She smiled up at them and they continued to walk. Hermione's money jingled in her pocket as she walked. They made their way into a carriage and sat down. She looked out her window as the carriage began to move. Harry and Ron began to joke around but she shut out their voices and trapped herself in her mind.

Hermione suddenly thought of cigarettes. Why did they seem so familiar to her? She decided to think of what she was going to buy the boys. The carriage came to a stop in front of the entrance into Hogsmead. Hermione sighed as she made her way out of the carriage, taking a deep breath. She smiles and waited for Ron and Harry. Soon by her side, the three of them made their way to their favorite shops.

Hermione left the boys almost immediately to shop for them. The boys shrugged and went off to Honeydukes to buy sweets. Hermione walked off towards the first clothing shop she saw. She walks in seeing that it was deserted and she smiled. Slowly she looks aimlessly through the clothes finding noting that she likes. She leaves the shop sighing softly. Hermione made her way down the road until she came to a jewelry shop.

She made her way inside and was amazed with what her eyes saw. The most beautiful jewelry she had ever seen lain before her. She walked immediately to the counter and looked at the rings. An old woman walks out from behind a heavy black curtain and greets Hermione sweetly. The woman stood their staring intently at Hermione for a moment before disappearing behind the black curtain again. She smiled to herself slightly as she continues to look at the amazing jewelry. The woman returned with a dusty black velvet box in her hand.

"These belong to you deary." The woman said.

"Excuse me?" Hermione asked walking up to her.

"This is yours, now take it." The woman said handing Hermione the box.

"I haven't paid for anything." Hermione said placing the box on the counter.

"I know, take it." The woman said going back behind the curtain.

Hermione left the shop leaving the box on the counter. She wasn't about to take something that she didn't pay for and didn't have the money for. She didn't even look inside the box. She walked down the street looking into a few shops not really seeing anything she liked. She came to the book shop and felt she had to go inside. As she was scanning the books she felt someone watching her. She turned around to see Malfoy's back to her, him looking through a book.

She turned around quickly questioning herself. 'Why hadn't I seen him when I came in?' Hermione quickly glanced over her shoulder and saw that Malfoy was still looking at the book in his hands. Her heart beat began to beat irregular and she was confused. Hermione walked along the book shelf ignoring Malfoy, or well at least trying to. She suddenly saw a book she was interested in and took it off the shelf. 'If he is going to ignore me then I'll ignore him' she thought.

"It's a big surprise to see you here Mudblood." Malfoy said sarcastically.

"Shove off Malfoy!" Hermione said slamming her book closed and placing it back on the shelf.

"No I don't think I will." Malfoy said closing his book and walking up to the counter with it.

"Stupid ferret!" Hermione cursed as she left the book store in a huff.

Hermione stormed down the street and made her way into the Quiddittch shop. She sighed and was glad that the boys weren't in there. To her surprise and luck the Cuddly Cannons Keeper was there for the day signing autographs. 'Ron!' Hermione thought quickly. She bought the best Cuddly Cannons she could find and got in the back of a short line to have it signed. After her turn was up she looked at the signature and smiled to herself. She left the shop after feeling that there was nothing that satisfied her taste for Harry's gift.

Hermione continued to talk alone, looking into different shops, finding nothing she liked. What was she going to get Harry? She hadn't found anything yet so she didn't know. Hermione came to a store that she hadn't seen before. She walked in quietly and looked around. The store was fascinating. It looked as if she had entered a different world.

Jewels and jingles were everywhere. There was clothing, incense, and all sorts of things. There were so many different things she had never ever seen before and she was fascinated. Beads and gold jewelry that jingles were hung everywhere. Hermione picked up a large triple strand of gold jingles and saw how big it was. She was confused as to where it went. Hermione shook it slightly and smiled at it jingled in her hands.

"Your belly." A beautiful woman said coming out from a dark room.

"Excuse me?" Hermione said politely.

"That chain, lovely one, it goes on your belly like so." The woman said affectionately touching Hermione and puts the jingles on her.

"Oh." Hermione said shaking her hip making them jingle.

"They are for belly dancing my dear. You do not dance so you?" She asked nicely looking at Hermione lovingly.

"No, I don't." Hermione said blushing.

"It wasn't a snide remark my dear, just a question. You could be a wonderful dancer. I have books if you would like to read them." the woman said, her chocolate skin shimmering in the dim light.

"Oh yes please." Hermione said moving forward her belly jingling as she walked.

Hermione was given a few books and she tucked them under her arm. She looked on the back and she saw the price. The woman was going to give her the books but as she left with a bag full of items she left all the accounted money on the counter. Hermione had bought more jingles, some cloth to make clothes, incense, and a special brand of make up the woman had given her to wear. Hermione had also bought the books which were tucked deep in the bag. Hermione smiled to herself as she made her way towards another clothing shop. As she walked in she saw a jacket that would look perfect on Harry.

She grabbed the jacket and to her luck it was exactly his size. The jack was leather and had dark green interior. She was afraid at how expensive it would be so she took it up to the register and found out it wasn't as much as she had thought so she bought it. She smiled to herself and made her way to a carriage to head back to the castle. As soon as she was seated the carriage started to move. Hermione smiled and saw that she was alone so she looked at everything she bought. She thought of the woman from the store and how beautiful she was.

Hermione sighed as she though of the woman, she had to see her again and soon. She smiled at what she bought and opened the first book and began to read. The hairs on the back of her neck started to stand up and she looks around. No one is in the carriage with her but she still feels like she is being watched. She feels around the whole carriage so no one is in an invisibility cloak, so what was her heart racing now? She sat back down and tried to forget her heart racing and the feeling that someone was watching her. Hermione closed her eyes and was at the castle in no time.

She got out and walked all the way up to the Gryffindor common room without stopping. Hermione rushed up the stairs to the girl's dormitory and was pleased to find the dorm empty. Quickly she wrapped the boy's gifts with magic so she could read her book, not noticing the black box that lay on the trunk at the foot of her bed. She opened the book immediately and began to read. The prickling on the back of her neck came back, the feeling that someone was watching her. She got up and looked around, she was alone. Hermione noticed the box suddenly; that was it, that's what was causing that feeling.

Hermione picked up the box and recognized it immediately. She opened it slowly and peered inside. Three rings lay inside with three envelopes. On the envelopes were three names; Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, and Ronald Weasley. Hermione gasped and held the ring next to her envelope. She set the ring down and opened the envelope, taking out the piece of parchment inside she read: Dearest Hermione, These rings are the Celtic rings of friendship, virtue, and life. Made in the mid 17th century in Scotland, these rings have been passed down, life after life and now to you, lovely one. They were destined to be yours, Harry, and Ron's rings. Where them on your right ring finger, I am sure it is a perfect fit. The rings hold you three together as one and can be used as a portkey when one of you is in danger, though you may not leave the situation only bring each other together. Never take them off, ever. Not even when you bathe. Take care of your self kitten. You may find the other powers of the ring as you wear it. Farewell.

Hermione was shocked as she placed the ring on her finger; a perfect fit. Her envelops and note caught fire in her hands and disappeared instantly. She closed the box and ran down the stairs to find Harry and Ron. To her luck she found them lying on their beds joking and eating Honeydukes finest. They didn't notice her come in until she cleared her throat. They looked at her and smiled. She showed them the box and laid it on Harry's bed and left quickly.

She wanted them to find out about the rings on their own. The rings were beautiful, hers especially. She took it off for a moment and it glowed bright green. 'Must do that when it's removed.' She thought and tested it again to make sure she was correct. There was an inscription on the inside of her ring just like the boys rings had. Her ring had the Celtic sign of 'Love.' She knew this because she secretly had always wanted that tattooed small in the back of her neck, though she never told anyone that.

The boy's ran down their steps and ran right into Hermione knocking her over, all three of them tumbling into the empty common room. They all smiled at each other. They stood up and brushed themselves off. All three of them began to laugh and they sat down. Hermione saw that the sign on Harry's ring was 'Bravery' and Ron's had 'Loyalty.' She smiled and thought that it suited them well. It was dinner time soon so they decided to go down early and eat. Hermione was happy and smiled at the two people she loved most in the world.

"Excuse me." Hermione said politely as they past a group of Hufflepuffs on their way to dinner.

"Man I am hungry." Ron said rubbing his stomach. Hermione smiled at his gleaming ring on his right ring finger.

"Pretending your married Mudblood?" Malfoy accused across the hall.

"Excuse me?" Hermione said loudly walking up to him.

"Well I can see what you would, considering you'll never really be married. I mean who would want to marry something as filthy as you." Malfoy said towering over her.

Tears rushed to her eyes and she ran away from them all. She didn't stop running and she couldn't see where she was going through her tears. Hermione wasn't hungry any more so she didn't bother to go back. She found her was to the top of the castle and it was cold. Through the astronomy tower she climbed out and stood on the balcony and cried. She didn't know why she let Malfoy get to her, he wasn't worth her tears yet she couldn't stop them. She was very much alone and she knew no one would find her, or so she thought.


End file.
